Straschnitzki was paralyzed from the chest down April 6 in a collision between the bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos and a semi-trailer north of Tisdale, Saskatchewan that killed 16 people and injured 13 others.

He has spent the past month at the Shriners hospital in Philadelphia and returned home to a bank of TV cameras and journalists at the Calgary International Airport late Wednesday afternoon.

Straschnitzki says it feels good to be home and he was watching the view out the window as the plane was landing in Calgary.

“It was nice. It brought back memories,” he said.

He plans to take a few days off before returning to physiotherapy. He said the treatment he received in Philadelphia was top-class and helped him a lot.

“I’m confident in my skills now, and now it’s just practice,” he said.

He intends to take his girlfriend to the Calgary Stampede and visit with family and friends.

Ryan Straschnitzki told reporters who greeted him at the airport in Calgary that he plans to take some time off and go to the Stampede with his girlfriend before resuming his physiotherapy. CBC

While he was away, family and friends began renovations on the family’s home to make it more accessible..

Family friend T.J. Stewart says workers are getting the basement ready for Straschnitzki as well as other accommodations.

“Of course we’re gonna have to do some revisions to the main floor so he has access to a full kitchen and change some stuff around up here so it’s easier access for him,” he told CBC News.

“We’re going to install an elevator for him in the garage so he can come and go out of the elements.”